Congress reiterates demand for YSR Memorial in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: The Congress party on Tuesday reiterated the demand that Telangana Government establishes a world class memorial for former chief minister Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy, in a media statement, reminded that he had requested the Telangana Government on July 2 this year to set up YSR Memorial in Hyderabad. However, he said that the State Government took no steps in this regard during the last six months.

Gudur Narayana Reddy said that the regime of YS Rajashekhara Reddy from 2004-2009 was a golden era for the then undivided Andhra Pradesh and people from all regions, especially Telangana, benefitted from his schemes. "Several revolutionary schemes like Fee Reimbursement, 4% reservation for Muslims, Aarogyasri, etc., helped crores of poor people and the beneficiaries still thank late YSR for the initiative. Since Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao himself has admitted on several occasion that YSR regime was pro-poor, he should've taken the initiative of setting a memorial to pay tributes to the former Chief Minister," he said.

The Congress leader also stressed on the need for a compilation of information in a proper format with regard to achievements and services of Dr. YSR. He said future generations can learn a lot from the life of Rajashekhara Reddy. He requested the Chief Minister to constitute a high-level committee to finalise the proposal for setting up of YSR Memorial. He urged the State Government to make the announcement on YSR's birth anniversary on July 8. Further, he said that the memorial should be ready by next birth anniversary.

He said YSR Memorial in Hyderabad would also improve the relationship between two Telugu States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He said that the then Congress Government could not set up a memorial immediately after YSR's death in September 2009 due to political chaos followed by statehood movement. However, he said now the political atmosphere was conducive with CM KCR having friendly relations with YSR's son and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Gudur Narayana Reddy said that he would be soon meeting the AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy requesting him to pursue the matter with the Telangana Government.